Fountain pen



Nov. 24, 1959 T. M. ERMEL 2,914,029

' FOUNTAIN PEN Filed July 30, 1958 Thomas M. Erme! zNt/ENTOR.

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United States Patent O FOUNTAIN PEN Thomas M. Ermel, Kingston, Pa.

Application July 30, 1958, Serial No. 751,995

1 Claim. (Cl. 1Z0-47) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fountain pens and has for its primary object to pro- Vide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a writing instrument of this character of the ball point type but in -which conventional liquid fountain pen ink may be used.

Another very important object of the present invention is to provide a ball point fountain pen comprising an easily removable, rellable and replaceable cartridge of a novel construction.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a fountain pen of the aforementioned character which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, lcompact, of light weight, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section through a fountain pen constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in horizontal section through an intermediate portion of the instrument, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure `1; and

Figure 3 is an elevational View, showing the cartridge removed from the barrel and being refilled from a bottle of liquid ink.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a barrel 4 of suitable dimensions and material. Threaded on the upper end portion of the barrel 4 is a removable cap 5. Reference character 6 designates a clip on the cap 5. The barrel 4 includes a rounded lower end portion 7 having threaded thereon a tapered tip 8. A writing ball 9 is rotatably mounted on the tip 8.

Removably mounted in the barrel 4 and projecting upwardly therefrom into the cap is a cartridge 10 of suitable material. 'Ihe cartridge 10 includes a tubular reservoir 11 for the reception-of conventional liquid fountain pen ink, as indicated at 12. vDepending from the lower end of the ink reservoir 11 is a reduced, elongated nozzle 13 which extends downwardly into the tip 8 to a point closely adjacent the ball 9 for conducting the ink thereto.

At an intermediate pointthe tubular ink reservoir 11 has an enlargement providing a shoulder 14. At the upper end thereof the reservoir 11 terminates in an out- "ice turned flange 15. A cylindrical piston or plunger 16 is slidably mounted on the upper portion of the reservoir 11 for drawing ink thereinto when the cartridge 10 is being refilled. The piston 16 comprises an internally reduced lower end portion 17 which is slidable on the reservoir 1-1 and which is engageable beneath the flange 15 for positively limiting the upward sliding movement of said piston on said reservoir. Encircling the upper portion of the tubular reservoir 11 is a coil spring 18 which rests on the shoulder 14. The upper end portion of the coil spring 18 is anchored in thev lower end portion 17 of the piston 16.

'It is thought that the use of the instrument will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the liquid ink 12 flows by gravity from the reservoir 11 through the nozzle 13 to the writing ball 9. The tubular reservoir 11 is threadedly mounted in the barrel 4, as indicated at 19. When the pen needs refilling,

- the cap 5 is removed from the barrel 4 to give access to the cartridge 10. The cartridge 10 is removed by unscrewing the same at 19 from the barrel 4. While holding the tubular reservoir 11 in one hand, the piston 16 is depressed against the tension of the coil spring 18 with the other hand. The nozzle 13 is then emersed in a supply of liquid ink as indicated at 20 in Figure 3 of the drawing. The piston 16 is then released and is immediately forced upwardly by the compressed coil spring 18 for drawing the ink into the tubular reservoir 11 in an obvious manner. The cartridge 10 is screwed into the barrel 4 and the cap 5 is replaced after which the instrument is again ready for use.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention v to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A fountain pen comprising: a barrel, and a cartridge removably mounted in said barrel, said cartridge including a tubular reservoir for the reception of liquid ink threadedly mounted in lthe barrel, said reservoir including an enlargement providing a shoulder at an intermediate point, a nozzle on one end of the reservoir, a piston slidable about the other end portion of the reservoir for drawing ink thereinto through the nozzle, a coil spring on said other end portion of the reservoir engaged with the shoulder and with the piston for actuating said piston, and means for positively limiting the sliding movement of the piston under the influence of the spring.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,551,792 Bleier V Sept. 1, 1925 2,847,975 Lawton Aug. 19, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 71,072 Germany Oct. 3, 1893 222,566 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1942 963,735 France Jan. 12. 1950 

